Why do immigrants change their names when they come to the US of America?

Answer 1

People either use false names if they are going to commit a crime or if they are famous and want a stage name or a pen name. Criminals may use false names when they work with their accomplices so the accomplices have something to call them and so if one of the accomplices is caught, it's impossible to give the names of the others. If a person is a famous author or celebrity, they may use a fake name because it sounds cooler or more glamorous.

Answer 2

Sometimes to avoid harassment or persecution.

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This question is best viewed as part of the wider issue of changing family names on settling in a new country. It is not a specifically Jewish phenomenon.

Attitudes have changed considerably, but there have been times in most of the English-speaking countries when it was considered 'bad form' or even downright rude to have an unpronounceable foreign name ... It's also not very practical. Imagine keeping a name like Hecht or Hoch, for example, though some families have kept such names. Bear in mind that in the US there was a time (c. 1900-1970) when new arrivals and their children were under very considerable pressure to be '100% American'. One would also expect that many parents would think about possible problems at school for children with outlandish names. I don't think there's any need for 'cloak-and-dagger' explanations.

Answer 3

because you don't want a Muslim family and you have a christian or Jewish name, it's just the same as if some body's convertig from Islam to, say Christianity, you would want them to change theri name too

Answer 4

usually people go change their styles so they are up to date or so they look cooler...most new gaians don't really look very good. so, when they get enough money, they change their hair and their clothes to fit in

Answer 5

• easer to say
• nic names
• joke

my name is Cameron, most people call me cam. i dont relay have a reason, mostly to shorten it plus i like the sound of it better

Answer 6

many people change there names for a lot of reasons like to try to get rid of there old lifes and start over new

Answer 7

So they cant be tracked